Special Report: Coastal Development

The pristine Western Australian coastline has always played an integral role in the lifestyle, culture and recreational pursuits of those who live here.

All those at the WA Business News coastal development forum agreed that the inadequacies of the town planning system presented the main hurdles to coastal development.

Scarborough is Perth’s latest coastline battleground, with The City of Stirling council proposing a planning amendment that would make way for a significant overhaul of the foreshore.

Mayor Tony Vallelonga and the City of Stirling’s plan to redevelop the Scarborough foreshore has met intense opposition from local action group Save Our Sunsets, established by Karrinyup resident John Keall.

A key challenge for developers wanting to change the beachfront skyline is to find a balance between their own proposals and the requirements of the community in which they hope to operate.

High-rise development is often met with resistance because of the lack of comparable, successful projects at the time, according to some of those at the WA Business News coastal development forum.